Strawberry grader



Dec. 27, 1960 D. c. HOLMES STRAWBERRY GRADER 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed Oct. 10, 1957 II I I I n lu l l l m n 4M1 QJ i 21% 21 MN mm INVENTOR.

304 410 6'. AWL M55 ATTD R N EYS Dec. 27, 1960 D. c. HOLMES 2,966,263

STRAWBERRY GRADER Filed Oct. 10, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR.

ATTEI RNEYS lllllll W; s N H. W v g L United States Patent STRAWBERRY GRADER Donald C. Holmes, 419 Holmes Ave., Somerset, Ky.

Filed Oct. 10, 1957, Ser. No. 689,401

4 Claims. (Cl. 209-97) This invention relates to a grading device, and more particularly to a device or apparatus for use in grading strawberries.

The object of the invention is to provide a grading device which will permit the user to readily separate or grade articles such as strawberries, according to size.

Another object of the invention is to provide a strawberry grader which is constructed so that a plurality of strawberries of different sizes can be dumped into the device, and whereby upon proper manipulation of the parts of the device, the large strawberries can be separated from the smaller strawberries, and wherein in the process of separating the strawberries, dirt, weeds, and other foreign matter can be conveniently separated or removed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a strawberry grader which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same.

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the strawberry grader, constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the strawberry grader.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the strawberry grader, and showing certain of the parts in raised position.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showing the parts in a different position.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a plan view showing the frames of the movable unit in open position.

Figure 8 is a side elevational view showing a modified movable unit.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8, except that Figure-8 shows the movable unit in closed position, and Figure 9 shows the frame members in open position.

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on the line 1010 of Figure 9.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1-7 of the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates the strawberry grader of the present invention, and the grader 10 includes a supporting structure which is indicated generally by the numeral 11. The supporting structure 11 includes a plurality of vertically disposed spaced parallel legs 12, and extending between the front ends of certain of the legs and secured thereto is a pair of horizontal y disposed spaced parallel L-shaped beams 13 which define trackways. Slidably supported by the trackways or beams 13 is a movable unit which is indicated generally by the numeral 14. In Fig. 7 the movable unit 14 is shown in open position, and it will be seen that the movable unit 14 includes a lower frame 15 "ice and an upper frame 16, and these frames are of open rectangular formation. Supported by the lower frame 15 is a plurality of spaced parallel rods 18, while supported by the upper frame 16 is a plurality of spaced parallel rods 19. The frames 15 and 16 are hingedly connected together as at 17. It is to be noted that the rods 19 are offset from the rods 18 for a purpose to be later described.

A first tray 20 is hingedly connected at one end to an end of the supporting structure 11 as at 21, Fig. 5 The numeral 22 indicates a second tray which has an end portion thereof hingedly connected to the other end of the supporting structure as at 23, and the tray 22 includes a screen-like or reticulated bottom 24. The numeral 25 indicates a receptacle or container that is adapted to receive material which passes through the screen bottom 24. The receptacle 25 is supported by bars 26 which in turn are supported by braces 27 that may be secured to the legs 12 in any suitable manner.

Arranged contiguous to the ends of the supporting structure and secured thereto are support members 28 and 29, and extending along one side of the supporting structure and secured thereto is another support member 30. These support members are adapted to support cups or containers 31 which can be filled with strawberries, that are being graded. In Fig. 6 the numeral 33 indicates several of the larger strawberries which are too large to pass through the spaces between the rods 19 and 18, while the numeral 34 indicates smaller strawberries which can pass through the spaces between the bars 19 and 18. As shown in the drawings, the lower frame 15 is provided with guide lips 35 for helping to insure that the upper frame 16 will assume the proper position when it is moved to its closed position. The frames may be provided with knobs or handles 36 for facilitating the handling thereof.

Referring to Figs. 8, 9 and 10 of the drawings, there is shown a modified movable unit which is indicated generally by the numeral 37, and the movable unit 37 is adapted to be used in lieu of the movable unit 14. The movable unit 37' includes an upper frame 38 and a lower frame 39, and a plurality of links 44 have their upper ends pivotally connected to the frame 38 by pivot pins 40, while the lower ends of the links 44 are pivotally connected to the lower frame 39by means of pivot pins 41. A plurality of spaced parallel rods 42 are secured to the upper frame 38, and there is provided a plurality of rods 43 which are secured to the lower frame 39. These rods 42 and 43 are arranged offset with respect or containers supported on the member 29, while the numeral '46 indicates the containersv or cups supported on the member 30, and the numeral 47 indicates the" cups on the member 28, and the cups 47 are adapted to be filled with the larger strawberries.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a grader which is especially suitable for use in handling or grading articles such as strawberries.

With the grader of the present invention, the strawberries will not become wedged in the device so that the device will not readily become stopped up, and wherein the berries will not be bruised during the handling thereof.

The grader will not bruise the berries and will not hang up and can be quickly and easily operated and it can be made inexpensively and can be used in any desired location. The grader of the present invention includes 5 the unit 14 in which the berries are separated according to size. This unit 14 includes the upper section 16 and the lower section 15, and the upper section 16 has the rods 19, while the lower section has the rods 18. These rods are arranged so that when the upper and lower sections or frames are placed together, the rods will be equal distances apart, but when the frames are separated, the spaces between the rods will be more than double the distance when together. As previously described, these frames can be swung open as for example as shown in Fig. 7, or, as shown in the modification of Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the frames 38 and 39 can be moved apart by means of the parallel links 44. Furthermore, if desired, the frames can be separated by means of a direct lifting or lowering action. By using the unit 14 and its associated parts, different methods of constructing the grader are possible, and the device may be operated by hand, or, if desired the device may take the form of a motor driven machine which works automatically.

The operation of the device is as follows. When the unit 14 is over a pan or tray 22, and with the frames 16 and 15 in closed position with respect to each other, the ungraded berries are poured or placed in the unit 14. The smaller berries and dirt will fall into the pan 22, and these smaller berries are indicated by the numeral 34, Fig. 6. It is to be noted that when the frames 16 and 15 are together, the offset rods 19 and 18 define rather small spaces therebetween which prevent the larger berries 33 fiom falling therethrough, but which permit the smaller berries 34 to pass therethrough. The pan 22 has the screen bottom 24 which is provided with openings or holes so that the dirt and stems can fall through the bottom 24 and into the dirt container 25. Then, after this operation has been completed, the unit 14 is slid along the beams 13 until the unit 14 is directly over the hinged pan 20. Then, the berries which are unfit for use can be picked out of the pan or tray 22 and placed in the row of containers or cups 46 on the support member 30. Next, the hinged pan or tray 22 is raised as for example as shown in Fig. 4, so that the berries from the tray 22 will slide into the row of cups 31 on the support member 29 at the end of the grader, and then the tray 22 is lowered torthe original position. Then the upper fiame 16 is raised as shown in Fig. 4, this causes the larger berries 33 to fall through into pan 20, as the spaces between the rods 18 are more than doubled when frame 16 containing rods 19 is raised. Frame 14 is slid back along beam 13 to its original position over pan 22. The berries which are not wanted can be picked from the pan and placed in the row of containers or cups 46. The hinged pan or tray 20 is now lifted, so that the tray 20 can be moved to the position shown in Fig. 5 for example, whereby the berries from the tray 20 will slide into the row of containers or cups 47 at the end of the grader. Then, the tray 20' is lowered to its original position and this completes the cycle of operations so that the operator is now ready to start over by pouring ungraded berries into the unit 14.

The parts can be made of any suitable material and in different shapes or sizes. The guide lips or members 35 serve to line up the frames when the frames are in closed position. a

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may beresorted to in actual practice, if desired.

1 claim:

1. In a grading apparatus, a supporting structure including a plurality of spaced parallel diametrically opposed pairs of vertically disposed legs, a pair of horizontally disposed spaced parallel L-shaped beams extending between the upper ends of said pairs of legs and.

secured thereto in opposed relation "to each other and sa d beams defining trackways, a movable unit slidably mounted in said trackways and said movable unit. including upper and lower rectangular open frames hingedly connected together, a plurality of spaced parallel rods secured to each of said frames, the rods of the upper frame being in offset relation to the rods of the lower frame whereby articles of various sizes are graded according to the spacing of the rods, a first tray hingedly connected to one outermost pairs of legs of said supporting structure, a second tray hingedly connected to the other outermost pairs of legs of said supporting structure, and said second tray including a reticulated bottom, both of said trays being positioned below said trackways and both of said trays being operably associated with said movable unit, a receptacle supported below and operably associated with said second tray, support members secured to the outer surfaces of the outermost pairs of legs of the supporting structure and to one side of the outermost pairs of legs of the supporting structure and to one side of the outermost pairs of legs of the supporting structure, said support members adapted to support containers to be filled with the articles being graded, said frame supporting the graded articles of a certain size and passing through articles of less size and debris into said second tray and said second tray passing through the debris to certain of said containers and the remainder of said articles to the remainder of said containers.

2. In a strawberry grader, a supporting structure, beams on said suporting structure defining trackways, a movable unit slidably mounted in said trackways, said movable unit including upper and lower rectangular open frames hingedly connected together, said upper frame having a plurality of spaced parallel rods secured thereto and said lower frame having a plurality of spaced parallel rods secured thereto and the rods in the upper frame being arranged in offset relation to the rods in the lower frame, said frames being adapted to support strawberries of a certain size and pass through strawberries of less size and debris trays hingedly connected to said supporting structure and arranged in a lower plane than said movable unit, said trays being positioned alongside of each other so that when one tray is moved over and opened it will receive the strawberries passed through the grader, said trays adapted to receive the berries of lesser size and pass through the debris, support members connected to said supporting structure for supporting containers to be filled with strawberries of lesser size and the debris passed through said frame and a receptacle supported below both of said trays and positioned below said trackways.

3. In a strawberry grader, a supporting structure, beams on said supporting structure defining trackways, a movable unit slidably mounted in said trackways, trays hingedly connected to said supportingstructure and arranged in a lower plane than said movable unit, said trays being positioned alongside of each other so that when one tray is moved over and opened it will receive the strawberries passed through the grader, and support members connected to said supporting structure for supporting containers to be filled with strawberries, said movable unit comprising a pair of open frames operatively connected together, said frames having a plurality of spaced parallel rods secured thereto and the rods in said 7 frames being arranged in offset relation to each other,

one of said trays having a reticulated bottom, and a container positioned below said last named tray, said frames adapted to support strawberries beyond a certain size and passing through berries smaller than the critical size and debris, said trays adapted to receive the smaller berries and debris and pass the debris on through to the container positioned below said last named tray and the remaining strawberries onto the remaining containers.

'4. In a strawberry grader, a supporting structure,

beams on said supporting structure defining trackways, v a movable unit slidably mounted in said trackways, said movable unit including upper and lower rectangular open frames hingedly connected together, said frames being adapted to support strawberries of a certain size and pass through strawberries of less size and debris, trays hingedly connected to said supporting structure and arranged in a lower plane than said movable unit, said trays adapted to receive and grade the strawberries and pass through the debris, said trays having a plurality of parallel rods therein, with said rods being positioned in offset relation to each other, said trays being positioned along side of each other so that when one tray is moved over and opened it will receive the strawberries and debris from the other tray, and support members connected to said supporting structure for supporting containers to be filled with strawberries of lesser size and the debris passed through said frame, a receptacle supported below both of said trays and positioned below said trackways, said upper frame having a plurality of spaced parallel rods secured thereto and said lower frame having a plurality of spaced parallel rods secured thereto and the rods in the upper frame being arranged in offset relation to the rods in the lower frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Woolever July 10, Esmond et al. Oct. 3, Pellecan Dec. 6, Fabbrine Mar. 28, Bender Dec. 15, Hunnicut May 14, Singer Apr. 28, Hodges July 28, Rhodes Apr. 13, Harris et al Nov. 23, Buck Sept. 30,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Great Britain June 10, 

